Saturday, November 7, 2009
I'm Moving!
Actually my blog is moving. It's been picked up by www.racing-reference.info. I don't have an individual page yet, but all blogs including mine (ajcrdstr24's Racing and Poker Blog) can be seen at http://racing-reference.info/blogmaster.jsp. For those not familiar with Racing-Reference.info it is an interactive motorsports statistical Web site. I'm excited for this opportunity because several race fans visit the site every day, it's one of my favorite Web sites since I love statistics, and I've found out that many racing fans are also poker players!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Jimmy Cope
Pinellas Park resident Jimmy Cope might be a familiar name throughout the state of Florida, but many outside the state may have never heard of him. The second-generation driver's career in the racing business spans over thirty-five years, beginning to race and work on go-karts as a teenager in the early 1970's. His career mostly began as a mechanic, as this article from 1974 profiling him shows that he worked on Figure 8 cars for drivers at the Golden Gate Speedway and Sunshine Speedway at the young age of 16. He also worked on his younger brother Mike's go-karts at the time as well.
Not much longer after that, Cope took to the drivers seat at Sunshine Speedway racing Thundercars and Figure 8's for the remainder of the decade and almost instantly turned some heads as a driver to watch. Over the next few years Cope progressed up the local racing ladder into Late Models and then onto the All Pro Series circuit. He won Sunshine Speedway's Florida 200 in 1982 and then went on to win his first All Pro race in 1983 at his home track, besting some of the toughest competitors in the nation including Mike Harmon, Robert Hamke, Freddie Fryar, Gary Balough and Donnie Allison. The article for this race can be found here.
In 1984, Cope moved full time to the All Pro Series circuit. Although he would not win, he did capture three top five finishes. In 1985, Cope returned to racing late models at Sunshine Speedway as well as continuing to race the All Pro schedule. He would only secure one top five finish in the series in 1985. In 1986, Cope began racing in the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series with a best finish of third behind NASCAR drivers Rusty Wallace and Neil Bonnett in the Goody's 125 at DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton, Florida.
Throughout the remainder of the 1980's, Jimmy Cope continued to make some starts in the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series while dominating at Sunshine Speedway. Cope won at least eight straight late model features at the track during the 1987 season. In 1988, he claimed his second straight late model championship at the speedway. In 1989, he joined the United Stock Car Alliance, a series that competed throughout the state of Florida, along with his younger brother Mike.
Jimmy would continue to race at Sunshine Speedway and the United Stock Car Alliance into the early 1990's, while his younger brother would join the now NASCAR All Pro Series and would garner more success than Jimmy did. Mike Cope was the runner up in 1993 and champion in 1994 and 1996. Mike went on to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series later in the decade and now is promoter at Bronson Motor Speedway and helps his son Travis further his racing career.
Throughout the 1990's, Jimmy Cope would branch out from the state of Florida as well. His first, and only, attempt as a driver in the higher levels of NASCAR came in 1993 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Driving for LaWarre Racing, cope started 26th and finished 18th, completing 294 of the 300 laps. In 1995, the formation of the Hooters Cup Late Model Series allowed Cope another chance to run full time in a touring series. Late in the season and for the next two years, he would pick up sponsorship from the Miller Brewing Company. It would all pay off in October of 1996 when he claim his first series victory at Mobile International Speedway. He would follow up that victory with another one in 1997 at the same track, and then two more consecutive wins coming at Orange County Speedway and USA International Speedway.
Following the 1997 season, the Hooters Cup Late Model Series disbanded, leaving Cope without a sponsor or a full time ride for the 1998. He would make selected starts with the NASCAR All Pro Series, but would never race on a full time touring level again. During the next few years, he would focus on racing on a more local level once again, winning several races with the Florida Pro Series.
As the new millennium approached, Cope continued to drive and win races but began focusing on building winning race cars and engines. Cope always worked on what he ran all the way back to the early 1970's so it wasn't a surprise to many that his cars would win races throughout the remaining years of the Florida Pro Series and then the FASCAR Florida Sunbelt Series. Meanwhile, the success must have been bittersweet as his longtime home track Sunshine Speedway closed in 2004.
While Jimmy Cope has slowed down with his own racing career, there is no doubt that he still is someone to look up to in the Florida racing world; whether it's the teams he currently still builds cars for, or the people he's helped in the past including younger brother Mike and even NASCAR crew chief Jason Overstreet.
Additional Sources:
http://www.shorttrackhistory.org
http://thirdturn.armchairgm.com
http://www.racing-reference.info
Not much longer after that, Cope took to the drivers seat at Sunshine Speedway racing Thundercars and Figure 8's for the remainder of the decade and almost instantly turned some heads as a driver to watch. Over the next few years Cope progressed up the local racing ladder into Late Models and then onto the All Pro Series circuit. He won Sunshine Speedway's Florida 200 in 1982 and then went on to win his first All Pro race in 1983 at his home track, besting some of the toughest competitors in the nation including Mike Harmon, Robert Hamke, Freddie Fryar, Gary Balough and Donnie Allison. The article for this race can be found here.
In 1984, Cope moved full time to the All Pro Series circuit. Although he would not win, he did capture three top five finishes. In 1985, Cope returned to racing late models at Sunshine Speedway as well as continuing to race the All Pro schedule. He would only secure one top five finish in the series in 1985. In 1986, Cope began racing in the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series with a best finish of third behind NASCAR drivers Rusty Wallace and Neil Bonnett in the Goody's 125 at DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton, Florida.
Throughout the remainder of the 1980's, Jimmy Cope continued to make some starts in the NASCAR All-American Challenge Series while dominating at Sunshine Speedway. Cope won at least eight straight late model features at the track during the 1987 season. In 1988, he claimed his second straight late model championship at the speedway. In 1989, he joined the United Stock Car Alliance, a series that competed throughout the state of Florida, along with his younger brother Mike.
Jimmy would continue to race at Sunshine Speedway and the United Stock Car Alliance into the early 1990's, while his younger brother would join the now NASCAR All Pro Series and would garner more success than Jimmy did. Mike Cope was the runner up in 1993 and champion in 1994 and 1996. Mike went on to race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Busch Series later in the decade and now is promoter at Bronson Motor Speedway and helps his son Travis further his racing career.
Throughout the 1990's, Jimmy Cope would branch out from the state of Florida as well. His first, and only, attempt as a driver in the higher levels of NASCAR came in 1993 at Hickory Motor Speedway. Driving for LaWarre Racing, cope started 26th and finished 18th, completing 294 of the 300 laps. In 1995, the formation of the Hooters Cup Late Model Series allowed Cope another chance to run full time in a touring series. Late in the season and for the next two years, he would pick up sponsorship from the Miller Brewing Company. It would all pay off in October of 1996 when he claim his first series victory at Mobile International Speedway. He would follow up that victory with another one in 1997 at the same track, and then two more consecutive wins coming at Orange County Speedway and USA International Speedway.
Following the 1997 season, the Hooters Cup Late Model Series disbanded, leaving Cope without a sponsor or a full time ride for the 1998. He would make selected starts with the NASCAR All Pro Series, but would never race on a full time touring level again. During the next few years, he would focus on racing on a more local level once again, winning several races with the Florida Pro Series.
As the new millennium approached, Cope continued to drive and win races but began focusing on building winning race cars and engines. Cope always worked on what he ran all the way back to the early 1970's so it wasn't a surprise to many that his cars would win races throughout the remaining years of the Florida Pro Series and then the FASCAR Florida Sunbelt Series. Meanwhile, the success must have been bittersweet as his longtime home track Sunshine Speedway closed in 2004.
While Jimmy Cope has slowed down with his own racing career, there is no doubt that he still is someone to look up to in the Florida racing world; whether it's the teams he currently still builds cars for, or the people he's helped in the past including younger brother Mike and even NASCAR crew chief Jason Overstreet.
Additional Sources:
http://www.shorttrackhistory.org
http://thirdturn.armchairgm.com
http://www.racing-reference.info
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Australian NASCAR Drivers
Before Marcos Ambrose came from the land down under, several Australian racers attempted a venture to NASCAR's top series. Interest in stock cars began to grow in Australia during the 1980's, and it was officially announced in December 1987 that NASCAR would hold an exhibition race at Melbourne's Calder Park Thunderdome in February 1988 between the Richmond and Rockingham races. The Winston Cup Series first two race winners that season, Bobby Allison and Neil Bonnett, headlined the event but there were also several Australian drivers coming from several different types of racing to drive in the event. TV coverage of the race can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B0443AE5A61B32EA&search_query=nascar+australia
Prior to this event, a couple of them did try there hand at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Tony Spanos drove a Chevrolet for legend James Hylton; however, he did not have much success. From 1987-1989, Spanos only made the field in one of eleven attempts finishing 18th at Martinsville in his only NASCAR points-paying start.
Longtime racing veteran Allan Grice made his first foray into NASCAR in 1987, with the help from Butch Mock and Richard Childress. Grice qualified 36th and finished 35th at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Fellow Australian Graeme Crosby also received assistance for the race, but did not make the field. Grice had a vast resume' in Australian racing, winning many championships over three decades. However, Grice would only make one more NASCAR start in 1989, finishing 34th once again in the Coca-Cola 600.
Two drivers who made their stock car debut in the Australia exhibition race in 1988 went on to race in the Cup Series a year after. Most notably, Dick Johnson, a four time Australian Touring Car champion at the time made his Cup Series debut in the inaugural race at Sears Point Raceway in his Redkote sponsored Ford. Johnson provided commentary for the ESPN crew during the race and had his share of problems as you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7PxoDrOboE&feature=related. Johnson would finish the race, but back in 32nd place. He would go on to attempt four more races in 1989, qualifying for three of them with a best finish of 22nd at Pocono. He would make four more attempts in 1990, with a best finish of 27th in his last start at Watkins Glen. Johnson would go back to racing Australian Touring Cars before retiring in 1999. He continues to own a racing team for his son Steven in the Australian V8 Supercar Series.
Terry Byers also made selected starts in 1989 and 1990. Byers made his debut in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1989, starting 35th and finishing 21st. Byers attempted three more races over the summer and made the show for two of them, finishing 19th and 21st at the Pocono races. In 1990 Byers would not be as fortunate, failing to finish both of his starts which occurred at Charlotte and Daytona. Byers reemerged in 1995 announcing his intention to run for rookie of the year, but failed to qualify in all of his attempts including a practice wreck in preparation for the fall Charlotte race which sent him to the hospital. He would only make a handful of attempts through 1996 before disappearing from the NASCAR scene again.
While the Aussies had mixed results in the top levels, NASCAR's presence did play a major impact in Australian racing. Following the inaugural exhibition race, NASCAR returned twice to Calder Park Thunderdome in December 1988 and December 1990. An Australian NASCAR-type tour called AUSCAR was formed and competed until 2001.
After the recent success of Marcos Ambrose, there has been a resurgence of Australian interest in NASCAR. Many drivers hope to follow in Ambrose's footsteps, one of those being Owen Kelly. Kelly spent about a decade racing V8 Supercars and Formula Fords before making the move to America in 2008 and started out on a local level at Motor Mile Speedway driving a late model stock car fielded by JR Motorsports. In 2009, Kelly made the move to the UARA Stars Late Model Stock Car Series and currently sits tenth in points with a best finish of fourth.
Prior to this event, a couple of them did try there hand at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Tony Spanos drove a Chevrolet for legend James Hylton; however, he did not have much success. From 1987-1989, Spanos only made the field in one of eleven attempts finishing 18th at Martinsville in his only NASCAR points-paying start.
Longtime racing veteran Allan Grice made his first foray into NASCAR in 1987, with the help from Butch Mock and Richard Childress. Grice qualified 36th and finished 35th at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Fellow Australian Graeme Crosby also received assistance for the race, but did not make the field. Grice had a vast resume' in Australian racing, winning many championships over three decades. However, Grice would only make one more NASCAR start in 1989, finishing 34th once again in the Coca-Cola 600.
Two drivers who made their stock car debut in the Australia exhibition race in 1988 went on to race in the Cup Series a year after. Most notably, Dick Johnson, a four time Australian Touring Car champion at the time made his Cup Series debut in the inaugural race at Sears Point Raceway in his Redkote sponsored Ford. Johnson provided commentary for the ESPN crew during the race and had his share of problems as you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7PxoDrOboE&feature=related. Johnson would finish the race, but back in 32nd place. He would go on to attempt four more races in 1989, qualifying for three of them with a best finish of 22nd at Pocono. He would make four more attempts in 1990, with a best finish of 27th in his last start at Watkins Glen. Johnson would go back to racing Australian Touring Cars before retiring in 1999. He continues to own a racing team for his son Steven in the Australian V8 Supercar Series.
Terry Byers also made selected starts in 1989 and 1990. Byers made his debut in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1989, starting 35th and finishing 21st. Byers attempted three more races over the summer and made the show for two of them, finishing 19th and 21st at the Pocono races. In 1990 Byers would not be as fortunate, failing to finish both of his starts which occurred at Charlotte and Daytona. Byers reemerged in 1995 announcing his intention to run for rookie of the year, but failed to qualify in all of his attempts including a practice wreck in preparation for the fall Charlotte race which sent him to the hospital. He would only make a handful of attempts through 1996 before disappearing from the NASCAR scene again.
While the Aussies had mixed results in the top levels, NASCAR's presence did play a major impact in Australian racing. Following the inaugural exhibition race, NASCAR returned twice to Calder Park Thunderdome in December 1988 and December 1990. An Australian NASCAR-type tour called AUSCAR was formed and competed until 2001.
After the recent success of Marcos Ambrose, there has been a resurgence of Australian interest in NASCAR. Many drivers hope to follow in Ambrose's footsteps, one of those being Owen Kelly. Kelly spent about a decade racing V8 Supercars and Formula Fords before making the move to America in 2008 and started out on a local level at Motor Mile Speedway driving a late model stock car fielded by JR Motorsports. In 2009, Kelly made the move to the UARA Stars Late Model Stock Car Series and currently sits tenth in points with a best finish of fourth.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tobey Butler
Before current Washington NASCAR stars Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne stepped foot into a race car, there was another young driver from that state, Tobey Butler, that was making a name for himself at the local short tracks. In mid-season 1982, the then 22 year old was leading the Super Stock points at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington and received a big break to drive in the NASCAR Winston West Series. He drove a car in which veteran driver Roy Smith drove to a series championship in 1981. Butler started 11th and fell out in the second half of the race, finishing 16th in his debut. He would not make another start in that series until 1987.
Meanwhile, Butler continued to race locally at Evergreen Speedway and in 1986 joined the NASCAR Northwest Tour. In his rookie year, he won twice and finished third in points. He won the series championship in his second season in 1987. While fellow competitors such as Chad Little and Derrike Cope moved up the ranks to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Butler remained with the Northwest Tour and his familiar #38 Ford Thunderbird into the mid-1990s. He claimed a total of 20 wins in the series, but perhaps his biggest win came in 1992 when he won the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway with the NASCAR Southwest Tour.
Butler appeared to be on the move at the beginning of 1994, moving up to the NASCAR Winston West Series. In the first two events, Butler finished in the top five and then even made his only Winston Cup Series attempt at Sears Point Raceway, but failed to qualify. Following Sears Point, Butler did not compete again with the Winston West Series the rest of the season. He sold his body shop, which helped fund his racing team and moved to North Carolina with his wife and son to further his racing career.
However, Butler did not disappear. At the age of 35, one of the NASCAR Craftsman SuperTruck Series founders Jim Venable gave Butler the chance to drive his truck in the second of three Winter Heat exhibition races at Tucson Raceway Park. He finished sixth in his debut and raced full time in their Ford truck sponsored by Ortho Lawn and Garden in 1995. The season didn't go as well as expected, as Butler only claimed three top fives and five top tens in twenty starts, ranking tenth in the final standings. In 1996, Butler was replaced with 1995 NASCAR Winston West Series champion Doug George.
Butler did make selected starts for NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader, including a pole and sixth place finish at his home track at Evergreen Speedway. He also claimed a sixth place finish at Phoenix later in the year. He made two Winston West Series starts as well, leading the most laps and finishing with a top ten at Evergreen Speedway driving for championship owner John Strausser. He would also return to victory lane, in his first career start with the ARCA Series at Salem Speedway driving for Ken Schrader. He would race a few more ARCA races for Schrader and would finish in the top five twice at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Tobey Butler's 1996 Hero Card
In 1997, Butler competed in some Truck Series races for Schrader again as well as a few other owners, but his best finish was a ninth at Portland.
Butler virtually disappeared from the racing scene for nearly a decade, but resurfaced in 2007 back at the track he started his racing career, Evergreen Speedway. Butler was named the new director of racing at the track and would also oversee tech. However, he is not mentioned on the race track's site as a current staff member.
Butler has been rewarded for his accomplishments over the last few decades. He was named one of Evergreen Speedway's top 50 drivers in 2004, and was inducted into Evergreen Speedway's hall of fame in 2006.
Sources:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XZgNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z2UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4428,2152632&dq=tobey-butler
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=elcPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p4YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3202,3048452&dq=tobey-butler
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ricOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vX0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3933,589056&dq=tobey-butler
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19941225&slug=1949291
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003660950_evergreen11n0.html
http://www.racingwest.com
Meanwhile, Butler continued to race locally at Evergreen Speedway and in 1986 joined the NASCAR Northwest Tour. In his rookie year, he won twice and finished third in points. He won the series championship in his second season in 1987. While fellow competitors such as Chad Little and Derrike Cope moved up the ranks to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, Butler remained with the Northwest Tour and his familiar #38 Ford Thunderbird into the mid-1990s. He claimed a total of 20 wins in the series, but perhaps his biggest win came in 1992 when he won the Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway with the NASCAR Southwest Tour.
Butler appeared to be on the move at the beginning of 1994, moving up to the NASCAR Winston West Series. In the first two events, Butler finished in the top five and then even made his only Winston Cup Series attempt at Sears Point Raceway, but failed to qualify. Following Sears Point, Butler did not compete again with the Winston West Series the rest of the season. He sold his body shop, which helped fund his racing team and moved to North Carolina with his wife and son to further his racing career.
However, Butler did not disappear. At the age of 35, one of the NASCAR Craftsman SuperTruck Series founders Jim Venable gave Butler the chance to drive his truck in the second of three Winter Heat exhibition races at Tucson Raceway Park. He finished sixth in his debut and raced full time in their Ford truck sponsored by Ortho Lawn and Garden in 1995. The season didn't go as well as expected, as Butler only claimed three top fives and five top tens in twenty starts, ranking tenth in the final standings. In 1996, Butler was replaced with 1995 NASCAR Winston West Series champion Doug George.
Butler did make selected starts for NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader, including a pole and sixth place finish at his home track at Evergreen Speedway. He also claimed a sixth place finish at Phoenix later in the year. He made two Winston West Series starts as well, leading the most laps and finishing with a top ten at Evergreen Speedway driving for championship owner John Strausser. He would also return to victory lane, in his first career start with the ARCA Series at Salem Speedway driving for Ken Schrader. He would race a few more ARCA races for Schrader and would finish in the top five twice at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Tobey Butler's 1996 Hero CardIn 1997, Butler competed in some Truck Series races for Schrader again as well as a few other owners, but his best finish was a ninth at Portland.
Butler virtually disappeared from the racing scene for nearly a decade, but resurfaced in 2007 back at the track he started his racing career, Evergreen Speedway. Butler was named the new director of racing at the track and would also oversee tech. However, he is not mentioned on the race track's site as a current staff member.
Butler has been rewarded for his accomplishments over the last few decades. He was named one of Evergreen Speedway's top 50 drivers in 2004, and was inducted into Evergreen Speedway's hall of fame in 2006.
Sources:
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XZgNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z2UDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4428,2152632&dq=tobey-butler
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=elcPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=p4YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3202,3048452&dq=tobey-butler
http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ricOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vX0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=3933,589056&dq=tobey-butler
http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19941225&slug=1949291
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/snohomishcountynews/2003660950_evergreen11n0.html
http://www.racingwest.com
Friday, September 4, 2009
Todd Cray
During the late 1980's, New Jersey's Todd Cray was coming up through the ranks at a very young age. In fact, he was featured in Sports Illustrated in August 1988 and the article can be accessed at this link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1067636/index.htm.
During that year, Cray competed in the NASCAR Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series and finished his rookie season fifth in points with two wins, at Hickory and Myrtle Beach. Ar He would only compete in one more Dash Series race and would move up to compete in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series with sponsor Good Stuff Candy Bars. However, Cray would only make four starts in the series from 1989-1990 with a best finish of 21st at Orange County Speedway in August 1990.
Todd Cray's #06 Good Stuff Candy Bars Buick
(photo taken at the 1991 Miller Motorsports show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania)
Following the 1990 season, Cray made only two more NASCAR Touring series starts. Both were at the track he began racing at regularly in the 1990's, Flemington Speedway in New Jersey. In 1991 he finished 6th in a NASCAR Busch North Series event, and in 1996 he finished 34th in a NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour event. Throughout the mid-1990's he also competed in Late Models at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania, and competed at Nashville Speedway in a Late Model Stock Car on at least one occasion.
Cray's former sponsor Good Stuff Candy Bars didn't last very much longer than his Busch Series career. The product was discontinued shortly after test-marketing, and then was sold to Grist Mill Company and officially taken off the market in 1993.
To this day Todd Cray still competes in Super Stocks at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey and his driver page can be found here: http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/drivers/superstock/toddcray.htm. He is currently the 2009 points leader with six feature wins, and is still under the age of 40!
Note: I vaguely remember hearing about Todd Cray being interested in returning to the Dash Series (now ISCARS), probably from a 2006 episode of ISCARS Full Throttle. However, that is unconfirmed and he hasn't raced in that series since then.
Note #2: I also just found a promo video (which I believe was posted on YouTube by himself): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Sr_qVfW6E.
During that year, Cray competed in the NASCAR Charlotte/Daytona Dash Series and finished his rookie season fifth in points with two wins, at Hickory and Myrtle Beach. Ar He would only compete in one more Dash Series race and would move up to compete in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series with sponsor Good Stuff Candy Bars. However, Cray would only make four starts in the series from 1989-1990 with a best finish of 21st at Orange County Speedway in August 1990.
Todd Cray's #06 Good Stuff Candy Bars Buick(photo taken at the 1991 Miller Motorsports show in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania)
Following the 1990 season, Cray made only two more NASCAR Touring series starts. Both were at the track he began racing at regularly in the 1990's, Flemington Speedway in New Jersey. In 1991 he finished 6th in a NASCAR Busch North Series event, and in 1996 he finished 34th in a NASCAR Featherlite Modified Tour event. Throughout the mid-1990's he also competed in Late Models at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania, and competed at Nashville Speedway in a Late Model Stock Car on at least one occasion.
Cray's former sponsor Good Stuff Candy Bars didn't last very much longer than his Busch Series career. The product was discontinued shortly after test-marketing, and then was sold to Grist Mill Company and officially taken off the market in 1993.
To this day Todd Cray still competes in Super Stocks at New Egypt Speedway in New Jersey and his driver page can be found here: http://www.newegyptspeedway.net/drivers/superstock/toddcray.htm. He is currently the 2009 points leader with six feature wins, and is still under the age of 40!
Note: I vaguely remember hearing about Todd Cray being interested in returning to the Dash Series (now ISCARS), probably from a 2006 episode of ISCARS Full Throttle. However, that is unconfirmed and he hasn't raced in that series since then.
Note #2: I also just found a promo video (which I believe was posted on YouTube by himself): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7Sr_qVfW6E.
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